Peanut Crusted Chicken Fingers- One of the most popular kid-friendly foods gets jazzed up with a honey-roasted peanut coating and a Maple Dijon dipping sauce. Extra crunchy and delicious!
This Peanut-Crusted Chicken Finger recipe (I’ve altered it some) is from one of my favorite southern cookbooks published last year, The Southern Pantry Cookbook: 105 Recipes Already Hiding in Your Kitchen
Chicken Fingers can seem a little bland, but not when coated in a mixture of crushed peanuts and panko crumbs and served with a maple-mustard dipping sauce.
Type Of Peanuts To Use
I’ve used Honey-Roasted Peanuts for a little extra flavor but you can also use regular roasted peanuts. The peanuts and panko crumbs are processed in a food processor until finely ground, making them adhere to the chicken better. The addition of a little cayenne pepper spices them up some.
The Peanut Crusted Chicken Fingers are fried in vegetable oil until golden and crispy and then placed in the oven until they are cooked through.
Easy Dipping Sauce
Just three ingredients- mayo, maple syrup, and Dijon mustard, make a simple but delicious sauce.
The peanuts give these chicken fingers a lot of extra flavor and crunch. They’ll be just as popular with adults as they are with kids.
Chicken Fingers never tasted so good!
Oil Temperature
For best frying results, it’s important to keep the oil temperature between 360 and 375 degrees F. If the oil temperature gets too low, the chicken fingers will soak up too much oil and be greasy. If it is too high, the outside will burn before the inside is done. Using a deep-frying thermometer makes it super easy.
How To Serve
I think these Peanut Crusted Chicken Fingers would also be fabulous on a salad with Honey Mustard Dressing.
Storage
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days and can be reheated in a 350 degree oven or an air fryer.
More Chicken Tender Recipes
- Bacon Wrapped Honey Mustard Tenders
- Pickle-Brined Chicken Tenders
- Coconut Macadamia Chicken Tenders
- Ranch Chicken Fingers
- Coconut Chicken Fingers
Peanut Crusted Chicken Fingers
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- salt and pepper
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
- 1 cup honey roasted peanuts
- 1/4 heaping teasoon cayenne pepper
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs,, lightly beaten
- Vegetable oil
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, mustard, and maple syrup. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until needed.
- Cut each chicken breast lengthwise into 4-5 pieces. Season with salt and pepper.
- Place panko crumbs, peanuts, and cayenne pepper in a food processor and process until finely ground. Pour into a shallow bowl or pie pan.
- Place flour in another shallow bowl or pie pan. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Place eggs in a shallow bowl.
- Coat each chicken piece in flour, dip in eggs, and then coat in peanut mixture, pressing to coat well. Place strips on a baking sheet.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Pour 1-2 inches oil in a Dutch oven and heat oil to 375 degrees.
- Working in batches, fry strips until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Place on baking sheet.
- Bake chicken strips for 10 to 15 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Serve with dipping sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Source: adapted from The Southern Pantry Cookbook: 105 Recipes Already Hiding in Your Kitchen
Sharing this recipe with The Weekend Potluck.
Disclosure: This post contains amazon.com affiliate links.
I’ve never had chicken fingers with peanuts for the coating, but it sounds amazing! I love how crunchy these look too.
Looks delicious!
This is such a smart idea! I can just imagine how flavorful this would be. We’d all love this at our house!
There’s nothing like a good chicken finger recipe! Love how unique this one is with the ground peanuts and the maple in the sauce!
Oh my goodness, these look positively amazing!! Pinned!
These look amazing. I love all the flavors in the chicken fingers and sauce. I can not wait to try this! *pinned*
These chicken fingers look deliciously crunchy! I love that you used honey roasted peanuts. I have to try maple-mustard dipping sauce! I make honey-mustard sauce all the time but have never tried it with maple!
It doesn’t get much better than spiced up, crispy chicken fingers! This is such a great appetizer, and I love that panko coating! 🙂
I’ve never had a peanut coating on chicken before! This sounds delicious! What a fun way to jazz up some chicken. Pinned!
I love how you spiced up chicken fingers. The peanut crust with the panko is genius. Pinned.